151 



lay an egg, -creep in among the nettles, which I imagine is not only to place 

 the egg from the heat of the sun, but likewise to see if any of those nettles 

 are frequented by ants, these creatures being very destructive to caterpillars. 

 When the caterpillars are full-fed, they generally fasten themselves up by the 

 tail within their spinnings, and change to the chrysalis, though they may 

 sometimes be found in that state hanging openly under a leaf or any other 

 place they find convenient. Why they change, thus naked and exposed, con- 

 trary to their nature of concealing themselves in this state as well as that of 

 the caterpillar, is what, with any certainty, cannot be accounted for : but 

 the reason that appears most likely to me is, the earwigs, which often, in 

 great numbers, get into their inclosures, oblige them to retire, and, being 

 near the time of their transformation, are too weak to make a fresh spinning ; 

 for I have often found, when in search of the caterpillar, their spinnings 

 crowded with these vermin. They lay in chrysalis twenty one days. The 

 female is larger than the male, and may be known by an additional white 

 spot which is situated in the red part of the upper wing." 



Lewin, in his " Insects of Great Britain," 1795, writes, " The latter end 

 of May a few of these butterflies make their appearance* on the wing. In 

 June the female lays her eggs. As soon as the caterpillar comes from the 

 egg, he encloses himself in a leaf of the nettle, by drawing the edges together 

 with a fine silken thread, to protect him from the injuries of the weather, and 

 also from the Ichneumon fly ; which by injecting its eggs into the caterpillar, 

 prevents his coming to perfection, and most greviously torments the living 

 animal, as the caterpillars of the Ichneumon feed in him. The caterpillars are 

 full-grown the end of July, when they fasten themselves up by the tail, with- 

 in their webs, and change to chrysalides. Sometimes they may be found 

 hanging under the leaf, or any other convenient place. Why they change 

 thus exposed, in contradiction to their habit of concealing themselves, as well 

 in this state as that of the caterpillar, is what cannot be easily accounted for. 

 The reason that appears most likely to me is, that the earwigs and ants get 

 into their enclosures, and oblige them to retire, when they are near the 

 time of their transformation, and they are too weak to make a fresh spinning. 

 They lie in the chrysalis state near twenty days, when the butterfly comes 

 forth. What a change ! from a crawling caterpillar on the earth, to the 

 elegant and beautiful butterfly, sporting in the air, and feeding on the honey 

 juice of every fragrant flower." 



Stephens, in his "Illustrations/* 1828, writes, "This common species is 

 one of the most splendid of the British butterflies ; the intense black of the 

 upper surface of the wings being beautifully relieved by the red fascia and 

 pure white spots, and beneath, the marmoratiori of the posterior wings defies 



